Hiding from Hollywood

Release date: 13 January 2014Abby has succumbed to a life as a Hollywood cliché: the actress/waitress. But unlike most she’s keeping the “actress” part buried in her past. After a traumatic start to her life in Hollywood she’s decided to disappear from the limelight.

When movie producer Ethan Walker walks into her diner, she’s terrified. There’s nothing she wants more than to run and hide; the last thing she wants or needs is for her name to be connected with his. That way leads to tabloids, journalists, and exposure.
But Ethan has thought of nothing but Abby for months: the beautiful, talented actress who will save his career when she agrees to take the lead role in his movie. The project’s on the rocks already, and without her, it will certainly be canceled and his career will be over.

When a shooting in Abby’s apartment block leaves her without a safe place to stay, Ethan offers her sanctuary in his home—but she knows it cannot come without strings attached. And so, with her attraction to him growing, Abby must decide whether she can finally stop running and trust Ethan with her secret.

by Ellie Darkins

ContemporarySensuality Level: Behind Closed Doors

Author Bio:
Ellie Darkins is a writer, editor and reader of romance novels. When she’s not tapping away at her keyboard she can usually be found next to the kettle. Learn more about her at http://elliedarkins.blogspot.co.uk/.

An excerpt from Hiding from Hollywood:

Abby walked over to the booth by the window. She started to clear the empty coffee cups, but was distracted by the sight of a sleek, black Aston Martin pulling up at the curb. Not the sort of car you saw every day—or ever—in this neighborhood. Idiot, she thought. It wouldn’t last ten minutes parked out there before word spread among the neighborhood kids.

She continued watching the car, and her eyes widened as its driver climbed out. It couldn’t be… The resemblance was uncanny. He looked just like Ethan Walker—but there was no way a Hollywood producer would be in this part of town. That was the whole point of being in this part of town. She stared as he walked towards the diner and when he was ten feet away, she was certain it was him. He was all sharp cheekbones, chiseled jaw, and three-day stubble. Abby would recognize that face anywhere, every woman in the city probably would—it featured every week in the online gossip rags and trashy magazines, usually accompanied by some hot new actress. Abby held her breath as he came closer. Surely he wouldn’t be coming in here.

Her cheeks warmed as he looked over and noticed her watching him from the window. Their eyes met, just for a second, and he smiled at her. Her feet were frozen. She had to move; she had to get out of here. And yet, one smile from him, and she couldn’t put one foot in front of the other.

It’s okay, she told herself as the bell rang and he stepped through the door. In here, I’m a waitress. I’m just like every other waitress in the city. What are the chances he watches British soaps anyway? He doesn’t know me. I’m safe.

But he kept moving towards her, and reached out to shake her hand. Still frozen in place, she looked up at him.

“Abby Richards?”

With those two words, Abby wished she had lingered longer in the bathroom. She wished she had run out the back door. She wished that she had never come to this bloody country in the first place.

He knew who she was.

Her feet finally unstuck from the floor. She grabbed his outstretched hand and dragged him out the door, away from the window, and around the corner.

Abby tried to weigh up the damage. The door to the kitchen had swung shut just before Ethan walked in, so she didn’t think Candy had seen him. She didn’t think anyone else in the diner had had time to recognize him either—in jeans and a casual shirt his appearance didn’t scream “millionaire Hollywood movie producer.” But if he didn’t leave, right now, her secret could be blown and the life she’d built for herself here would be over. How had he found her? Why had he found her? And more importantly, how was she going to get rid of him?

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